The Family Name
By Elbereth in April
Copyright 2003
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Artemis Fowl or their books. I admit only to obsession.
Timeline:
After Artemis Fowl Book 1
During Harry Potter Book 2
An owl landed on an open window, carrying two messages. Juliet was the one to let it in. She informed Artemis and Mrs. Fowl right away. The 12- year-old boy and his mother stared at one another, then at their letters. Mrs. Fowl smiled, shrugged, and opened hers up. Artemis studied his.
"To Artemis Fowl, Fowl Manor, Ireland," read the envelope. He could not imagine who had sent it, try though he did. Finally he opened the letter. "Dear Mr. Fowl, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Due to various circumstances, your magical training has been delayed somewhat, but that will not be a problem. We are confident that with basic tutoring this summer, you will be able to start school as a second year, with other students your own age. You would need to report to the castle of Hogwarts on June 15. Enclosed is your list of all necessary books and equipment. . ." Artemis had read this three times before his mother spoke.
"This letter informs me that magic actually exists, that you are a wizard, and that wizards and witches have been in the Fowl line since its beginnings. They want you to attend wizards' school."
Artemis nodded.
"What do you think, Arty?"
"I. . ." How to respond? He was honestly stunned. For a few seconds, he thought his brain had actually stopped thinking, and that was a phenomenon undreamt of all by itself. He had known magic was real for some time, of course. He had discovered the existence of magic and fairies all on his own, and a good 6 months previously had captured and held for ransom a member of the LEP Recon police, met a kleptomaniac dwarf, outwitted a centaur, been a witness to the stoppage of time, a battle with a troll, and fairy healing powers. He owed his mother's regained sanity to it, in fact.
"I can believe it. . ."
"You know what? So can I." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "But what I meant was, what do you think about studying there? Would you want to? What are your career plans?"
"My career plans? To carry on the Fowl name, create Fowl Enterprises. Patents. Investments." Illegal activities, he added, but not out loud. Did magic fit into these things? And what did they mean, his training had been delayed?
"Look at some of the things you'd be studying! Potions, Charms, Herbology, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts. . . oh my!"
But Artemis had taken hold of one word and started mentally exploring the possibilities. Transfiguration. Turning something into something else. Say. . . lead into gold?
"I think I'd like to try it," Artemis said firmly.
___________ ____________
Angeline Fowl's letter described a place where they could get all his school supplies: Diagon Alley. It gave instructions how to get there. They would start by acquiring his first year supplies for the summer.
"We'll all go to London this weekend, then," Mrs. Fowl decided happily.
"All?" Artemis tried to hide his dismay.
"Certainly! This place sounds exciting!"
Artemis shuddered.
___________ ____________
Juliet was jumpy. She was also fascinated, as was Angeline. The two ladies walked in front, wide-eyed, with Artemis a few steps behind, trying to pretend he wasn't with them, and Butler a step behind him, senses heightened, checking for traps and assassins.
The two days before this outing Artemis had spent investigating every possible source regarding witches, wizards, and Hogwarts School, and had come up with quite a bit of information regarding magic theories, Diagon Alley, Gringotts Bank, the Ministry of Magic, Albus Dumbledore, purebloods, Muggles, the school and its founders, a bloke called the Boy Who Lived, and a wizard tyrant called the Dark Lord, He Who Must Not Be Named, Voldemort. He was frankly amazed.
He had a man waiting at their hotel in London when they arrived with a sack of money Artemis had had changed from pounds to Galleons at Gringotts Bank. He hadn't wanted to go to the trouble himself with his mother and Juliet along. The sack was passed over and the man (a Squib) paid a fee, and then he melted away.
The Fowl party went on to Diagon Alley. Artemis had been impressed by the moving brick wall, and considered adding something similar to Fowl Manor.
Now they were all striding along, trying not to look like they were gawking.
"Ooh! Look at that! The pictures move!" Juliet squealed.
Well, most of them were.
"Oh, look at the kitties, they're adorable!" Mrs. Fowl clapped her hands.
OK, half their group.
"Look at the robes!" Juliet cried. "And the pointy hats!"
A couple turned around. "Are you insulting our hats?"
"No, they're adorable!" Juliet was beside herself with glee.
The couple shook their heads and walked away. A large, stocky man stopped and sneered at her. "How did a Muggle get in here? We're not a tourist attraction!"
Juliet started to flush. She didn't know what a Muggle was, but she understood his tone of voice. "There's no call to be rude."
The man laughed. It was not a nice laugh. Butler moved to stand beside his sister, but before he could get any closer, she had grabbed the man's arm, twisted him around, and suplexed him. It looked quite painful.
"So that's what a suplex is," Artemis mused. "I'd been wondering."
"I'm not going to allow Juliet to watch so much wrestling any more." Mrs. Fowl winced, horrified.
Everyone in the vicinity had stopped to watch, but most appeared amused, as the man wasn't very popular. From further down the street, however, more people were rushing towards them. "This may be a good time to make ourselves scarce," Butler whispered to Artemis.
"Right." Artemis took charge. "Well, first things first. Books. This store seems promising." He stepped across the street and into Flourish and Blott's. The others followed.
Artemis had to admit, all those books excited him. They were full of hidden knowledge, waiting for him to soak it up, promising secrets to be revealed. He picked out the books on his list and added a few more just for curiosity. What would there be to do besides read, anyway? He'd discovered to his extreme dismay that most forms of technology wouldn't work at Hogwarts--cell phones, computers, not even electricity! He'd almost changed his mind about going, until he'd rigged some of the fairy technology he'd stolen into a combination computer-communicator. He had to keep up on his illegal enterprises, his search for his father. . . and be able to keep in touch with Butler, of course. He was pretty sure they wouldn't allow his bodyguard to camp out in his dorm room.
Artemis shook his head and remembered what he was doing. He checked out the window. The crowd had mostly dispersed, and the man Juliet had injured was gone. "On to dress robes."
This led them to Madam Malkin's, who looked at them strangely but didn't comment except to say, "Doing your school shopping early, are you?"
"I believe in planning ahead."
"What lovely fabrics you have." Mrs. Fowl smiled charmingly at the lady.
Madam thawed. "Thank you. Stand here and I shall fit you." She began pinning robes around him. Butler watcher her closely, to make sure she didn't stick his charge with pins.
"Is this your family?" she asked.
"I'm his mother."
"Ah." Madam eyed the other two, but they remained silent. "Muggles, are you?" she asked at last.
Juliet frowned. Butler looked at his baby sister nervously, but she wasn't moving to hammer Madam, whose tone had been polite, seeming only curious. "What is a Muggle?" Juliet demanded at last.
"That's a non-magic user, dear."
"Oh. Well. I guess we are."
"That's all right, dear. All finished," she addressed Artemis.
He regarded her coolly. He hoped she wasn't expecting a tip, because after that, she wasn't getting one.
After they left Malkin's, they bought his cauldron, and his other equipment, and a tawny yellow owl that Artemis had named Aureus. He dragged his mother and Juliet away from the kittens and out of the store.
"All that's left now is the wand," Butler reported.
"Very well. I was told to try Ollivander's. Shall we?"
Angeline sighed and linked her arm through her son's. "You sound so grown up, Arty! Of course, you always have, but watching you buy all this for a new school, a new career path. . . it just brings it all home."
Artemis blushed. "Mother. . ."
"And you'll be boarding away in a whole other country!" She was teary eyed now. Artemis's look was desperate.
"I will look after him, Mistress Fowl," Butler said. "I have decided to take up residence at the neighboring town of Hogsmeade in case Artemis needs me."
Artemis looked at him. "Did some research on your own, did you?"
Butler half-smirked at him. Artemis gave up and smiled back. Mrs. Fowl gripped Butler's arm with her other hand. "Oh, thank you, Butler!"
"Here's the store," Juliet pointed cheerfully.
Artemis carefully disengaged his mother as he reached for the door and motioned graciously for her to precede him in.
It was a small shop, quiet, with an almost hallowed feel. Even Juliet was strangely awed and silent. A man came out from the back, from between stacks and stacks of piled boxes. "Greetings," he said.
"Good afternoon. I need a wand."
The man came to stand just in front of him, appraising him carefully. "Hold out your wand arm, please."
Artemis scrutinized him in turn and did so. Mr. Ollivander proceeded to magically measure him. "Every wand has a core of a magical substance," he told him. "No two wands are alike. You always get the best results with your own wand. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix feathers, and dragon heartstrings. And various types of wood."
Mr. Ollivander dug around the boxes, then set a few on the counter. "Try this one. Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy."
Artemis took it in his hand and looked at it.
"Give it a wave," the shopkeeper instructed.
Artemis did. A chip of wood thunked out of the counter. Ollivander snatched the wand back. "No. Rowan and unicorn hair, ten inches. Try it."
Artemis barely had it in his hand when the man took it back. "No, no. Try this one. Ash and unicorn hair, nine inches."
The others watched bemusedly as Artemis waved around various wands. Mr. Ollivander never seemed to grow discouraged, he simply kept producing more boxes.
"What's supposed to happen?" Juliet whispered.
Butler shrugged.
Wand number seven was "Oak and dragon heartstring, nice and flexible. Eight and a half inches. One doesn't generally see dragon heartstrings mixed with oak. Go on, try it."
When Artemis took it in his hand, he knew. There was a tingling that started in his fingers and ran up to his elbow, making his heart beat harder as he raised the wand and gave it a swish. Sparks crackled from the tip of it and rained down like water, reflecting blue and gold on the counter and the walls, and Artemis's eyes.
"Cool!" Juliet exclaimed.
"Very good, very good!" the old man seemed delighted as well. So did his mother, and even Butler.
"What was your name, young man?" Ollivander asked as Artemis paid for the wand.
"Artemis Fowl."
"Fowl," the man repeated. "As in Lord Hugo de Fole?"
Artemis's eyes narrowed. "Yes."
"He was a powerful wizard, Hugo de Fole. I remember him. Willow and dragon heartstring, twelve inches."
"How could you remember him?" Angeline frowned. "He lived during the 11th century."
"Ah, my dear lady," returned Ollivander, "I'm older than I seem."
"That's pretty old," Juliet said frankly, staring at him hard.
"It's getting late, Arty, let's go." Angeline plucked at his sleeve nervously.
"As you say, Mother," he replied absent-mindedly, looking partly at the man and partly at his wand. Then he smiled. Butler noticed he had been doing that a lot more than was normal lately. "Goodbye."
"Goodbye, Artemis Fowl."
__________ __________
The Hogwarts Express didn't run in July, and the castle couldn't be reached by ordinary means. But Mrs. Fowl's letter had included an envelope marked "Do not touch what's inside until you need transport. This is a Portkey. It will take you automatically to Hogwarts Castle."
So after Juliet and his mother had got on the plane that morning, Artemis put one hand on his trunk and one on the cage of his owl. Butler put one hand on Artemis's shoulder and picked up the Portkey with the other. The next thing they knew, they stood in front of a lake with the castle just beyond.
They looked up at the castle. "Imposing, isn't it?" Butler mused.
"Most impressive," Artemis agreed. "Well, here I go."
"I shall walk up to the castle with you. I have to be sure that you will be treated properly."
"I don't think you need to worry, but all right."
It somewhat disturbed Butler that Artemis, normally so cautious, didn't seem more distrustful.
When they reached the edge of the grounds, a giant of a man was waiting for them. Butler instantly went on guard.
"'Ello," the giant man smiled cheerfully. "I'm Hagrid. I'm here to take you up to the castle."
"What is your official capacity?" Butler inquired in a way that combined politeness and threat.
Hagrid looked a bit taken aback. "I'm the Gamekeeper. And I always escort first years. They have to get across the lake somehow." He pointed to the boat on the shore.
"Relax, Butler," Artemis instructed with a calm, coaxing nod. "I'm sure it'll be fine. Besides, you can take him even on a boat," he added in a whisper.
This was probably true, but the man was enormous. Butler wasn't used to many people being bigger than him. However, Artemis was already following the man to the boat.
"Professor Dumbledore'll be seein you right away," Hagrid said. "He's the Headmaster here. Great man." Butler and Hagrid eyed each other warily the whole ride, while Artemis inspected the castle and its grounds.
Dumbledore was waiting for them just inside the front entrance. "Hello, Mr. Fowl," he greeted him. "And Hagrid. And who are you, sir?"
"Butler," Butler replied. "I came to make sure that Artemis got settled in."
"I see, of course. Not to worry. We'll take good care of him while he's here." Dumbledore smiled gently. Somehow, Butler found himself trusting him.
"We'll have your trunk and your owl sent to your room," Dumbledore continued. "First, we'll go to my office and I'll explain to you how your lessons will be scheduled this summer."
"And the. . . delay in my education that the letter mentioned? Will you explain that?"
Dumbledore looked at him gravely. "I will."
"Very well then."
"I shall go back to my residence then," Butler said, very reluctant to leave. He'd never faced a separation from Artemis like this.
Now that it came down to it, Artemis felt a bit strange, too. It was as if. . . he was going to be deprived of one of his five senses; he felt an anticipatory ache he couldn't quite explain.
"I'll be in contact." Artemis met his eyes. Something passed between them, then Artemis reached out and shook Butler's hand. "I'll contact you tonight."
"Thanks. Be careful, Artemis. Stay out of trouble."
A half-grin. "Butler, when have I done otherwise? Don't answer."
Butler smiled at him, then turned and went back down the steps. "Hagrid, take him back across the lake, would you?" Dumbledore asked.
"Certainly, Professor!" Hagrid joined him and they walked away.
Artemis took a deep breath and focused his attention on Dumbledore.
____________ ___________
A/N: A couple similarities between this and my other Artemis/Harry crossover will occur, but only in very small details. These are going to be completely different stories. So feel free to read both. (
By Elbereth in April
Copyright 2003
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Artemis Fowl or their books. I admit only to obsession.
Timeline:
After Artemis Fowl Book 1
During Harry Potter Book 2
An owl landed on an open window, carrying two messages. Juliet was the one to let it in. She informed Artemis and Mrs. Fowl right away. The 12- year-old boy and his mother stared at one another, then at their letters. Mrs. Fowl smiled, shrugged, and opened hers up. Artemis studied his.
"To Artemis Fowl, Fowl Manor, Ireland," read the envelope. He could not imagine who had sent it, try though he did. Finally he opened the letter. "Dear Mr. Fowl, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Due to various circumstances, your magical training has been delayed somewhat, but that will not be a problem. We are confident that with basic tutoring this summer, you will be able to start school as a second year, with other students your own age. You would need to report to the castle of Hogwarts on June 15. Enclosed is your list of all necessary books and equipment. . ." Artemis had read this three times before his mother spoke.
"This letter informs me that magic actually exists, that you are a wizard, and that wizards and witches have been in the Fowl line since its beginnings. They want you to attend wizards' school."
Artemis nodded.
"What do you think, Arty?"
"I. . ." How to respond? He was honestly stunned. For a few seconds, he thought his brain had actually stopped thinking, and that was a phenomenon undreamt of all by itself. He had known magic was real for some time, of course. He had discovered the existence of magic and fairies all on his own, and a good 6 months previously had captured and held for ransom a member of the LEP Recon police, met a kleptomaniac dwarf, outwitted a centaur, been a witness to the stoppage of time, a battle with a troll, and fairy healing powers. He owed his mother's regained sanity to it, in fact.
"I can believe it. . ."
"You know what? So can I." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "But what I meant was, what do you think about studying there? Would you want to? What are your career plans?"
"My career plans? To carry on the Fowl name, create Fowl Enterprises. Patents. Investments." Illegal activities, he added, but not out loud. Did magic fit into these things? And what did they mean, his training had been delayed?
"Look at some of the things you'd be studying! Potions, Charms, Herbology, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts. . . oh my!"
But Artemis had taken hold of one word and started mentally exploring the possibilities. Transfiguration. Turning something into something else. Say. . . lead into gold?
"I think I'd like to try it," Artemis said firmly.
___________ ____________
Angeline Fowl's letter described a place where they could get all his school supplies: Diagon Alley. It gave instructions how to get there. They would start by acquiring his first year supplies for the summer.
"We'll all go to London this weekend, then," Mrs. Fowl decided happily.
"All?" Artemis tried to hide his dismay.
"Certainly! This place sounds exciting!"
Artemis shuddered.
___________ ____________
Juliet was jumpy. She was also fascinated, as was Angeline. The two ladies walked in front, wide-eyed, with Artemis a few steps behind, trying to pretend he wasn't with them, and Butler a step behind him, senses heightened, checking for traps and assassins.
The two days before this outing Artemis had spent investigating every possible source regarding witches, wizards, and Hogwarts School, and had come up with quite a bit of information regarding magic theories, Diagon Alley, Gringotts Bank, the Ministry of Magic, Albus Dumbledore, purebloods, Muggles, the school and its founders, a bloke called the Boy Who Lived, and a wizard tyrant called the Dark Lord, He Who Must Not Be Named, Voldemort. He was frankly amazed.
He had a man waiting at their hotel in London when they arrived with a sack of money Artemis had had changed from pounds to Galleons at Gringotts Bank. He hadn't wanted to go to the trouble himself with his mother and Juliet along. The sack was passed over and the man (a Squib) paid a fee, and then he melted away.
The Fowl party went on to Diagon Alley. Artemis had been impressed by the moving brick wall, and considered adding something similar to Fowl Manor.
Now they were all striding along, trying not to look like they were gawking.
"Ooh! Look at that! The pictures move!" Juliet squealed.
Well, most of them were.
"Oh, look at the kitties, they're adorable!" Mrs. Fowl clapped her hands.
OK, half their group.
"Look at the robes!" Juliet cried. "And the pointy hats!"
A couple turned around. "Are you insulting our hats?"
"No, they're adorable!" Juliet was beside herself with glee.
The couple shook their heads and walked away. A large, stocky man stopped and sneered at her. "How did a Muggle get in here? We're not a tourist attraction!"
Juliet started to flush. She didn't know what a Muggle was, but she understood his tone of voice. "There's no call to be rude."
The man laughed. It was not a nice laugh. Butler moved to stand beside his sister, but before he could get any closer, she had grabbed the man's arm, twisted him around, and suplexed him. It looked quite painful.
"So that's what a suplex is," Artemis mused. "I'd been wondering."
"I'm not going to allow Juliet to watch so much wrestling any more." Mrs. Fowl winced, horrified.
Everyone in the vicinity had stopped to watch, but most appeared amused, as the man wasn't very popular. From further down the street, however, more people were rushing towards them. "This may be a good time to make ourselves scarce," Butler whispered to Artemis.
"Right." Artemis took charge. "Well, first things first. Books. This store seems promising." He stepped across the street and into Flourish and Blott's. The others followed.
Artemis had to admit, all those books excited him. They were full of hidden knowledge, waiting for him to soak it up, promising secrets to be revealed. He picked out the books on his list and added a few more just for curiosity. What would there be to do besides read, anyway? He'd discovered to his extreme dismay that most forms of technology wouldn't work at Hogwarts--cell phones, computers, not even electricity! He'd almost changed his mind about going, until he'd rigged some of the fairy technology he'd stolen into a combination computer-communicator. He had to keep up on his illegal enterprises, his search for his father. . . and be able to keep in touch with Butler, of course. He was pretty sure they wouldn't allow his bodyguard to camp out in his dorm room.
Artemis shook his head and remembered what he was doing. He checked out the window. The crowd had mostly dispersed, and the man Juliet had injured was gone. "On to dress robes."
This led them to Madam Malkin's, who looked at them strangely but didn't comment except to say, "Doing your school shopping early, are you?"
"I believe in planning ahead."
"What lovely fabrics you have." Mrs. Fowl smiled charmingly at the lady.
Madam thawed. "Thank you. Stand here and I shall fit you." She began pinning robes around him. Butler watcher her closely, to make sure she didn't stick his charge with pins.
"Is this your family?" she asked.
"I'm his mother."
"Ah." Madam eyed the other two, but they remained silent. "Muggles, are you?" she asked at last.
Juliet frowned. Butler looked at his baby sister nervously, but she wasn't moving to hammer Madam, whose tone had been polite, seeming only curious. "What is a Muggle?" Juliet demanded at last.
"That's a non-magic user, dear."
"Oh. Well. I guess we are."
"That's all right, dear. All finished," she addressed Artemis.
He regarded her coolly. He hoped she wasn't expecting a tip, because after that, she wasn't getting one.
After they left Malkin's, they bought his cauldron, and his other equipment, and a tawny yellow owl that Artemis had named Aureus. He dragged his mother and Juliet away from the kittens and out of the store.
"All that's left now is the wand," Butler reported.
"Very well. I was told to try Ollivander's. Shall we?"
Angeline sighed and linked her arm through her son's. "You sound so grown up, Arty! Of course, you always have, but watching you buy all this for a new school, a new career path. . . it just brings it all home."
Artemis blushed. "Mother. . ."
"And you'll be boarding away in a whole other country!" She was teary eyed now. Artemis's look was desperate.
"I will look after him, Mistress Fowl," Butler said. "I have decided to take up residence at the neighboring town of Hogsmeade in case Artemis needs me."
Artemis looked at him. "Did some research on your own, did you?"
Butler half-smirked at him. Artemis gave up and smiled back. Mrs. Fowl gripped Butler's arm with her other hand. "Oh, thank you, Butler!"
"Here's the store," Juliet pointed cheerfully.
Artemis carefully disengaged his mother as he reached for the door and motioned graciously for her to precede him in.
It was a small shop, quiet, with an almost hallowed feel. Even Juliet was strangely awed and silent. A man came out from the back, from between stacks and stacks of piled boxes. "Greetings," he said.
"Good afternoon. I need a wand."
The man came to stand just in front of him, appraising him carefully. "Hold out your wand arm, please."
Artemis scrutinized him in turn and did so. Mr. Ollivander proceeded to magically measure him. "Every wand has a core of a magical substance," he told him. "No two wands are alike. You always get the best results with your own wand. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix feathers, and dragon heartstrings. And various types of wood."
Mr. Ollivander dug around the boxes, then set a few on the counter. "Try this one. Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy."
Artemis took it in his hand and looked at it.
"Give it a wave," the shopkeeper instructed.
Artemis did. A chip of wood thunked out of the counter. Ollivander snatched the wand back. "No. Rowan and unicorn hair, ten inches. Try it."
Artemis barely had it in his hand when the man took it back. "No, no. Try this one. Ash and unicorn hair, nine inches."
The others watched bemusedly as Artemis waved around various wands. Mr. Ollivander never seemed to grow discouraged, he simply kept producing more boxes.
"What's supposed to happen?" Juliet whispered.
Butler shrugged.
Wand number seven was "Oak and dragon heartstring, nice and flexible. Eight and a half inches. One doesn't generally see dragon heartstrings mixed with oak. Go on, try it."
When Artemis took it in his hand, he knew. There was a tingling that started in his fingers and ran up to his elbow, making his heart beat harder as he raised the wand and gave it a swish. Sparks crackled from the tip of it and rained down like water, reflecting blue and gold on the counter and the walls, and Artemis's eyes.
"Cool!" Juliet exclaimed.
"Very good, very good!" the old man seemed delighted as well. So did his mother, and even Butler.
"What was your name, young man?" Ollivander asked as Artemis paid for the wand.
"Artemis Fowl."
"Fowl," the man repeated. "As in Lord Hugo de Fole?"
Artemis's eyes narrowed. "Yes."
"He was a powerful wizard, Hugo de Fole. I remember him. Willow and dragon heartstring, twelve inches."
"How could you remember him?" Angeline frowned. "He lived during the 11th century."
"Ah, my dear lady," returned Ollivander, "I'm older than I seem."
"That's pretty old," Juliet said frankly, staring at him hard.
"It's getting late, Arty, let's go." Angeline plucked at his sleeve nervously.
"As you say, Mother," he replied absent-mindedly, looking partly at the man and partly at his wand. Then he smiled. Butler noticed he had been doing that a lot more than was normal lately. "Goodbye."
"Goodbye, Artemis Fowl."
__________ __________
The Hogwarts Express didn't run in July, and the castle couldn't be reached by ordinary means. But Mrs. Fowl's letter had included an envelope marked "Do not touch what's inside until you need transport. This is a Portkey. It will take you automatically to Hogwarts Castle."
So after Juliet and his mother had got on the plane that morning, Artemis put one hand on his trunk and one on the cage of his owl. Butler put one hand on Artemis's shoulder and picked up the Portkey with the other. The next thing they knew, they stood in front of a lake with the castle just beyond.
They looked up at the castle. "Imposing, isn't it?" Butler mused.
"Most impressive," Artemis agreed. "Well, here I go."
"I shall walk up to the castle with you. I have to be sure that you will be treated properly."
"I don't think you need to worry, but all right."
It somewhat disturbed Butler that Artemis, normally so cautious, didn't seem more distrustful.
When they reached the edge of the grounds, a giant of a man was waiting for them. Butler instantly went on guard.
"'Ello," the giant man smiled cheerfully. "I'm Hagrid. I'm here to take you up to the castle."
"What is your official capacity?" Butler inquired in a way that combined politeness and threat.
Hagrid looked a bit taken aback. "I'm the Gamekeeper. And I always escort first years. They have to get across the lake somehow." He pointed to the boat on the shore.
"Relax, Butler," Artemis instructed with a calm, coaxing nod. "I'm sure it'll be fine. Besides, you can take him even on a boat," he added in a whisper.
This was probably true, but the man was enormous. Butler wasn't used to many people being bigger than him. However, Artemis was already following the man to the boat.
"Professor Dumbledore'll be seein you right away," Hagrid said. "He's the Headmaster here. Great man." Butler and Hagrid eyed each other warily the whole ride, while Artemis inspected the castle and its grounds.
Dumbledore was waiting for them just inside the front entrance. "Hello, Mr. Fowl," he greeted him. "And Hagrid. And who are you, sir?"
"Butler," Butler replied. "I came to make sure that Artemis got settled in."
"I see, of course. Not to worry. We'll take good care of him while he's here." Dumbledore smiled gently. Somehow, Butler found himself trusting him.
"We'll have your trunk and your owl sent to your room," Dumbledore continued. "First, we'll go to my office and I'll explain to you how your lessons will be scheduled this summer."
"And the. . . delay in my education that the letter mentioned? Will you explain that?"
Dumbledore looked at him gravely. "I will."
"Very well then."
"I shall go back to my residence then," Butler said, very reluctant to leave. He'd never faced a separation from Artemis like this.
Now that it came down to it, Artemis felt a bit strange, too. It was as if. . . he was going to be deprived of one of his five senses; he felt an anticipatory ache he couldn't quite explain.
"I'll be in contact." Artemis met his eyes. Something passed between them, then Artemis reached out and shook Butler's hand. "I'll contact you tonight."
"Thanks. Be careful, Artemis. Stay out of trouble."
A half-grin. "Butler, when have I done otherwise? Don't answer."
Butler smiled at him, then turned and went back down the steps. "Hagrid, take him back across the lake, would you?" Dumbledore asked.
"Certainly, Professor!" Hagrid joined him and they walked away.
Artemis took a deep breath and focused his attention on Dumbledore.
____________ ___________
A/N: A couple similarities between this and my other Artemis/Harry crossover will occur, but only in very small details. These are going to be completely different stories. So feel free to read both. (